China.org.cn | October 17, 2022
Third, electing delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress. Election of delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress began in November 2021. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to this work. General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over meetings of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee to study related issues. After deliberation, the Circular of the CPC Central Committee concerning the Election of Delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress was adopted, specifying the overall requirements, policies, and rules for the election. During elections, all electoral units acted in accordance with the CPC Central Committee's arrangements and requirements, upheld the Party Constitution as the fundamental guide, kept in mind the Party's nature and purpose, and ensured strong Party leadership throughout the whole election process. They gave full play to the role of democracy within the Party, applied rigorous criteria for candidate eligibility, followed due procedures, observed a strict code of discipline, and formulated plans based on local conditions. These efforts have seen the electoral units doing a good job in organizing elections. All primary-level Party organizations in the electoral units took part in the election with an average participation rate of 99.5% among their Party members.
The 38 electoral units across the country convened their respective Party congresses or conferences of delegates, during which delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress were elected. A total of 2,296 delegates have had their credentials confirmed by the Credentials Committee. They will attend the congress, representing more than 4.9 million primary-level Party organizations and over 96 million Party members.
These elected delegates meet the criteria set by the Party Central Committee, their composition is balanced across every category as required by the Central Committee, and hence they are broadly representative. They are from different sectors including economy, science and technology, national defense, politics and law, education, public communication, culture, public health, sports, and social management; they are from different levels of localities ranging from provinces, cities, counties, towns, townships and subdistricts, to villages and communities; and they come from different types of working units including Party and state organs, enterprises, public institutions, and people's organizations. Representation of people from the frontline of production and work is ensured, with delegates from this group making up 33.6% of the total, which includes 8.4% for workers (including migrant workers from rural areas), 3.7% for farmers, and 11.6% for professional and technical personnel. The number of female delegates increases, with their proportion reaching 27%. The share of ethnic minority delegates remains stable, standing at 11.5%. The composition of the delegates is also balanced in terms of age brackets. Delegates under the age of 55 account for 59.7% of the total, and those under 45 make up 18.9% of the total. The delegates are generally well-educated. Those who have received junior college education or higher take up 95.4%, among whom 36% have a bachelor's degree and 52.7% have a master's or doctor's degree. Some delegates joined the Party during the New-democratic Revolution Period, some in the period of socialist revolution and construction, some in the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and others after the 18th CPC National Congress. Those who joined the Party after the launch of reform and opening up account for 96.9% of the total.
As an established practice, the Party Central Committee has decided that some veteran Party members who have left leading positions will attend the congress as special delegates.
Fourth, making preparations for electing a new central committee and a new central commission for discipline inspection. As required by the Party Constitution, a new central committee and a new central commission for discipline inspection will be elected at this congress. To facilitate these elections, the Party Central Committee set up a special working group with General Secretary Xi Jinping as head of its leading team. Under the leadership of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, the group had charge of the recommendation, evaluation, and nomination of candidates for the new central committee and the new central commission for discipline inspection. On the basis of the work of the group, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee convened meetings respectively for discussion, and prepared a proposed list of preliminary candidates for the new central committee and the new central commission for discipline inspection, which will be submitted to the presidium of the 20th CPC National Congress for deliberation.
Upon conclusion of the congress, the 20th Party Central Committee will hold its first plenary session and the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will hold its first full assembly to elect their respective new leading bodies.
After the first plenary session of the 20th Party Central Committee, members of the new Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee will meet Chinese and foreign reporters.
A press center has opened for the 20th CPC National Congress, which will organize press conferences and group interviews and make full use of the internet and other technologies to provide services for reporters and facilitate their reporting on the congress.
Now I will be happy to take questions from you regarding the 20th CPC National Congress. Thank you!